Scarlet Sky, Book Four: Shattered Moon
by AsterEris
Summary: Finally, book four in the Scarlet Sky series. Firefall and Ravenfeather are now warriors, but with Darkfang and the new FangClan looming in the shadows, their lives as warriors will be anything but boring. Ha, cheesy summary...please read!
1. Prologue

**WOOHOO! PROLOGUE OF SCARLET SKY, BOOK FOUR: SHATTERED MOON. Quite exciting, I must say. I am aiming for 5 of these books, ending with Firefall becoming leader. Oh, oh, oh AND **_**ScarFlower **_**is my new co-author. Hoorayz! Thanks ScarFlower! SoOoOoOooooo…here it is, I guess. THE PROLOGUE…dun…dun…dun…**

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A shining silver monster roared across the Thunderpath, it's black paws spinning furiously, its garish face spread into a leering grin. The ferns on either side of the narrow strip of black stone were worked into a frenzy of swishing and swaying as droplets from a muddy puddle splattered their fronds.

At the edge of the road, peering out from beneath the undergrowth, was a pair of large, staring blue eyes. They belonged to a thin, sleek black tomcat that was crouched in the shelter of a wide berry bush, watching as monster after monster sped past him.

The first taste of new-leaf was in the air, and after a harsh, prey-bare winter, every ray of sunlight was welcome in the forest. Tiny green seedlings were pushing out of the soft soil, reaching up spindly arms into the fresh air; other new life was appearing throughout the Lake territories.

Though he had missed having a full belly during leaf-bare, the changing seasons were the last thing on the black cat's mind. As it was, his thoughts remained as dark as the raging storm clouds that had plastered the sky for many moons. The prey that he was stalking today would be useless as to the ache in his belly, though to him it was far more important. And so he remained for the better part of the day, ignoring the roaring monsters, staring out at the forest across from the Thunderpath, waiting.

When night fell, and a cloak of darkness had finally fallen to hide the cat's conspicuous dark fur, he rose out of the undergrowth and casually trotted across the Thunderpath. The route that he took was not one that was frequently used – it was a path of his own making, and hardly discernible among the wild plants that crowded at its edge. But he knew it well, and soon his destination, the place that lay at the end of the path, was in view.

It was a small clearing, not even 6 yards wide, in the middle of a patch of ivy, encircled by high walls of ferns and trees. There was an open space in the center, and many dens that had been cleared out inside the ivy walls.

The black tom walked into the clearing with an air of stifling self-importance, and then launched himself onto a boulder that took up a large part of the camp.

"FangClan!" he called suddenly. His voice was almost musical, and it might have been pleasant save for the sneering undertone. "FangClan, gather at the Darkstone, your leader has news!"

Slowly, like wraiths materializing out of pure shadow, cats appeared in the clearing, emerging from the dens in the ivy with wary, shaded expressions. The black tom watched them come near with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Ghostface, has the dusk patrol returned?"

A silver tabby tomcat with wide, watery blue eyes loped forward out of the crowd. "They came in a moment ago, Darkfa - Darkstar."

The black cat's eyes flashed. "I'm not called Darkfang anymore, Ghostface. You of all cats should know that." He paused, and then continued, "And does the patrol have anything to report?"

There was hesitation in the crowd, some cats murmured a few inaudible words, but no one made a move to say more.

"What's that? What do you have to report!?" snarled Darkfang. His spine was bristling. "Answer your leader!"

"S-shadowClan has a new ap-pprentice, Darkstar," meowed a small mouse-brown tom in a shaky voice. He did not meet Darkfang's gaze, but merely stared at his paws.

Darkfang flashed a humoring smile. "A new apprentice. Lovely. That might change everything, Shrewtail. Does anyone have anything _interesting_ to report?" he spat.

Shrewtail began to tremble, but someone nudged him forward, and Darkfang's gaze snapped back to the small brown cat. "What!?" he snapped impatiently.

"It-it's not a regular apprentice, Darkstar."

"Not a _regular_ apprentice? Is it a badger then, Shrewtail? Does it have seven tails?" His eyes were blazing now, and one or two cats began to back away.

"N-not a S-shadowClan c-cat, s-sir. D-darkstar," he whimpered, trying desperately now to dive back into the crowd. The other cats kept him at bay, using him as a shield to Darkfang's fury.

But suddenly Darkfang was interested, and the fire in his eyes died out. He sat down, wrapped his tail gently around his black paws, and leaned forward. "It's not a ShadowClan apprentice? What's going on, then? Speak up, Shrewtail."

The brown tom looked immensely relieved, and his words gained more confidence now. "It's a she-cat sir, from ThunderClan."

"From _ThunderClan_…how interesting. Do you know her name?"

"Twilightpaw, Darkstar. That was it."

Darkfang stared at Shrewtail for a moment longer, and then a queer, cold smile suddenly broke out on his face. "_Twlight_paw. I see…Thank you, Shrewtail. You're excused from dawn patrol tomorrow."

Shrewtail's face lit up, and he turned to face the crowd with a triumphant smile. Darkfang dropped down from the boulder. Three cats were immediately at his side – the silver tabby, a long-legged black and gray tom, and a blue-furred tom who had a long diagonal scar across his cheek.

"Twilightpaw. Wanderingsoul's daughter, you remember her, Darkstar?" mewed the silver tabby quietly. There was a hungry look in his eyes.

"Yes, that idiot kit who claimed to be descended from a pure-blood Clan cat. What a dirty lie, no one with rogue heritage belongs in the Clans. She was a mouse-brained fool, that one, won't ever amount to anything." Darkfang was padding quietly to the den at the other side of camp, nestled in the roots of a fallen tree. The other three cats padded a few steps behind him.

"Rumor has it she's caught the eye of the ShadowClan deputy. People say they were good friends while in ThunderClan, now they've met again in ShadowClan," murmured the black and gray tom.

"Gravelstar's getting soft, I tell you, Blacksight. Letting ThunderClan cats into their camp, not to mention Half bloods," Darkfang sneered. He sat down outside the den, his tail lashing. "Still, there's something strange about it."

"Gravelstar certainly never seemed like the soft type," put in the blue-furred tom thoughtfully.

"No," agreed Darkfang. "No, he doesn't. There's obviously something going on. We need to find out."

They all nodded, and a thoughtful silence reigned for a few moments, until Ghostface tentatively spoke up, "And what of ThunderClan, Darkstar?"

Another eerie smile crept onto Darkfang's face, and his blue eyes sparkled. "ThunderClan, Ghostface. Ah, ThunderClan…much has happened. They're doing well, plenty of new kits, many apprentices, and new warriors. Our little heroine still has nightmares, I believe…"

The blue tom narrowed his eyes. "The prophecy? Firefall still dreams with StarClan?"

Darkfang looked up, and his eyes found Silverpelt, glittering in the blackened sky above. "She does."

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**I know, VERY SHORT, kind of boring, but its just a prologue, don't worry…**


	2. Allegiances

Allegiances (hehe, disappointing, right

**Allegiances **(hehe, disappointing, right? Don't worry, next chappie comes out soon)

**Notes: **

**ThunderClan Highledge**

**WindClan Highmound**

**ShadowClan Highstump**

**RiverClan Highstone**

**ThunderClan**

LeaderLionstar: golden tom with amber eyes (seven lives left)

_Apprentice: Snowpaw_

Deputy Redstorm: huge red tom with amber eyes (mate – Ratwhisker)

_Apprentice: Sandpaw_

Medicine catBloomfrost: gray she-cat, green eyes

Apprentice: Mistystone: silver she-cat, crystal blue eyes

Warriors: (senior warriors first, newest warriors last)

Eagletalon: heavyset brown tabby tom with sixth toe on left hind paw

_Apprentice: Cavepaw_

Bluefall: long-legged blue-gray she-cat, blue eyes

Puddlespots: white and light gray patched tom, dark blue eyes (mate – Sootstreak)

Sunblaze: handsome golden/ginger tom, amber eyes (mate – Scarletspirit)

Crowtail: long-legged dark gray tom, green eyes (mate – Goldbrook)

Goldbrook: pretty, slender gold she-cat (mate – Crowtail)

_Apprentice: Nettlepaw _

Moss-stripe: small gray tabby tom, green eyes (mate – Snakefang)

Pinenose: dark gray tabby tom with brown muzzle, green eyes (mate – Pondfroth)

Stripethroat: marmalade tabby tom, amber eyes (mate – Leafstep)

Bentwing: brown and white striped tom, green eyes (mate – Mothwhisker)

Sootstreak: spunky gray she-cat, blue eyes (mate – Puddlespots)

_Apprentice: Mirepaw_

Ratwhisker: brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes (mate – Redstorm)

_Apprentice: Rabbitpaw_

Pondfroth: pale gray she-cat, blue eyes (mate – Pinenose)

Owlflight: golden tabby tom, amber eyes (mate – Firepaw)

Grayfang: gray tom, amber eyes (mate – Ravenpaw)

Mothwhisker: pale brown tabby she-cat with white paws, bright blue eyes

Firefall: bright red she-cat with a splash of white across her face, green eyes

Waterwhisker: thin, long-legged blue tom, very reserved and studious, dark blue eyes (mate – Willowsong)

Ravenfeather: jet-black she-cat with green eyes

Shadowclaw: dark gray tom with pale blue eyes

Apprentices

Rabbitpaw: long-legged ginger she-cat, green eyes

Nettlepaw: small, pretty tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Mirepaw: small dark gray tabby tom, green eyes

Snowpaw: pale creamy white she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Sandpaw: energetic long-furred dark ginger (almost brown) she-cat with white paws, blue eyes

Cavepaw: quiet, heavyset dark gray tom, amber eyes

Queens

Vinetail: pretty gold she-cat (mate – Bearclaw)

_Kits: Gingerkit, Ashkit_

Snakefang: dark gray she-cat (mate Moss-stripe)

Leafstep: beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat, formerly of ShadowClan (mate – Stripethroat)

_Kits: Whitekit, Turtlekit_

Willowsong: brown she-cat, white underbelly and white paws, blue eyes (mate – Waterwhisker)

_Kits: not yet born_

Cinderstep: pale gray she-cat with green eyes, has a limp (mate – Eagletalon)

_Kits: not yet born_

Elders

Squirrelclaw: ginger she-cat, amber eyes

Badgerfoot: white tom with black feet, retired early, broke his leg falling off of a boulder, it never healed properly

Scarletspirit: red she-cat with white paws and blue eyes, previous deputy, is now lame and half blind

**WindClan:**

Leader: Tanglestar: black and brown tom with white underbelly (five lives left)

_Apprentice: Timberpaw_

Deputy: Molefoot: dusky gray tabby tom, amber eyes

_Apprentice: Loop-paw_

Medicine cat: Laurelstep: pale ginger she-cat, blue eyes

Apprentice: Hollowtree: silver tabby tom, green eyes

Warriors:

Rainpatter: black and white she-cat, yellow eyes

_Apprentice: Lilypaw_

Longpelt: dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes

_Apprentice: Snowpaw_

Slytail: black and white tom, green eyes

Burnishedleg: heavyset gray tom, amber eyes

Gorsepad: brown tabby tom, amber eyes

Wrenflight: red she-cat, amber eyes

_Apprentice: Fernpaw_

Deadtree: dark gray tom, pale blue eyes

Brambletail: tortoiseshell tom, bright green eyes

Grassnose: ginger tom, green eyes

Apprentices:

Lilypaw: gray she-cat with white spots, green eyes

Fernpaw: dark gray tabby she-cat, amber eyes

Timberpaw: very large dark gray/brown tom, black tail and paws, green eyes

Loop-paw: small, skinny pale gray she-cat with unusual purple-blue eyes

Queens:

Reedwhisker: pretty yellow she-cat, yellow eyes

_Kits: not yet born_

Coldfur: pretty silver she-cat, blue eyes (mate – Longpelt)

_Kits: Mellowkit, Siltkit, Kindredkit_

Daffodilfur: yellow she-cat, green eyes (mate – Slytail)

Elders:

Owlwing: tabby she-cat, green eyes

Nightspot: ginger tom with black patches, green eyes

**ShadowClan**

Leader: Gravelstar: long-furred dark gray tom, amber eyes (four lives left)

_Apprentice: Flowpaw_

Deputy: Windfoot: slender silver-blue tom, black stripe down his back, dark blue eyes, formerly of ThunderClan, only son of Louis and Mistystone

_Apprentice: Twilightpaw_

Medicine cat: Twilightpath: dark ginger she-cat, dark blue eyes

_Apprentice: Climbingpaw_

Warriors:

Treeclaw: black tom, green eyes

Hoverwing: yellow she-cat, amber eyes

Willowslash: tortoiseshell she-cat, sharp green eyes

_Apprentice: Twopaw_

Quickfoot: pretty gray tabby she-cat, green eyes

Hawktalon: dark brown tabby tom, yellow eyes

Moonstripe: shy pale gray tom, amber eyes

Graycrow: dark gray, almost black, she-cat, blue eyes

Whiteface: ginger tom with white underbelly, blue eyes

Shortfur: small black and gray tom, green eyes

Smallnose: very beautiful, slender pure black she-cat with bright green eyes

Downyfur: pale brown and white speckled she-cat, amber eyes

Apprentices:

Flowpaw: very small pale gray tabby she-cat, amber eyes

Climbingpaw: brown tom, green eyes

Twopaw: black and white patched tom, pale blue-gray eyes

Twilightpaw: dark black (almost blue) she-kit with dark blue eyes, daughter of Wanderingsoul (a loner), formerly of ThunderClan

Queens:

Poppyfoot: pretty ginger she-cat, amber eyes (mate – Moonstripe)

_Kits: Shiverkit_

Ashclaw: dark gray she-cat, pale blue eyes (mate – Blackstripe)

Tallriver: black she-cat, warm golden eyes (mate – Treeclaw)

_Kits: Lilackit, Growlkit, Clawkit_

Elders:

Firestorm: enormous red tom with white patch around his eye

**RiverClan**

Leader: Froststar: pretty gray she-cat, green eyes (nine lives left)

Deputy: Redwing: long-legged red tom with amber eyes

Medicine cat: Littleleaf: small gray and white spotted tom

Apprentice: Sparrowflight: tortoiseshell she-cat

Warriors:

Pantherpelt: black tom

Grasswave: long-furred brown tabby tom

_Apprentice: Washpaw_

Volepelt: brown tabby tom

_Apprentice: Fastpaw_

Mousetail: pale brown she-cat with ginger paws (mate – Shrewtail)

Drycreek: pale ginger tom with white underbelly

Coalfur: dark gray she-cat

_Apprentice: Youngpaw_

Granitestep: stocky gray tom with blue eyes

Sandstripe: pale yellow she-cat

Flowerfur: gray and white she-cat

Stoneheart: dark gray (almost black) she-cat

Apprentices:

Washpaw: small blue-gray tom

Fastpaw: very pale tabby tom

Youngpaw: small gray she-cat

Queens:

Duskfur: pretty gray she-cat with dark blue eyes (mate – Volepelt)

_Kits: Ripplekit, Shimmerkit_

Silverbrook: pretty silver she-cat (mate – Pantherpelt)

_Kits: Ivykit, Bank-kit_

Elders:

Shortwhisker: black she-cat

**Cats Outside of Clans:**

Tony: fat black and white tom, kittypet at Horseplace

Pansy: pretty ginger and white tabby she-cat, Tony's mate, lives at Horseplace

Gracie: deaf white she-kit, Pansy's daughter

**FangClan (Darkfang forms his own new 'Clan' out of some rogues and former Clan cats):**

Leader: Darkfang: lithe black tom with icy blue eyes, formerly of ThunderClan (calls himself Darkstar, does not have nine lives)

_Apprentice: Spottedpaw_

Deputy: Ghostface: very pale silver tom, watery blue eyes, formerly of ThunderClan

Medicine cat:Huntedwing: blue tom, blue eyes, formerly of ShadowClan

Warriors

Shadowclaw: small black she-cat, yellow eyes, formerly a rogue (mother - Cardinalbelly)

Blacksight: long-legged black and gray tom with red-ish tail, yellow eyes, formerly a rogue (mother- Cardinalbelly)

Shrewtail: small mouse-brown tom, green eyes, formerly of RiverClan

Blackstripe: white tom with black and brown stripes, amber eyes, formerly of ShadowClan

Shriek: grizzled old gray rogue tom, green eyes, no one knows where he came from

Mudpelt: ginger tom, gray eyes, formerly of WindClan

Apprentices

Spottedpaw: thin black and brown tabby with white underbelly, throat, legs, green eyes, formerly Chloe, a loner

Queens

Quailfur: pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes, Pansy's daughter, doesn't really like Darkfang, but wanted desperately to become a part of a Clan (mate – Ghostface)

_Kits: Yellowkit_

Tabbypelt: brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes, formerly of RiverClan (mate – Blacksight)

_Kits: not yet born_


	3. Hunting ScarFlower

Firefall awoke in the warriors den to the more frequent sounds of birdsong

**Here's chapter three, by ScarFlower (thanks again). This story is going to be awesome! **

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Firefall awoke in the warriors' den to the frequent sounds of birdsong.

New-leaf was finally starting to break through. The forest was starting to bloom and prey was becoming plentiful once again.

Next to her was her mate, Owlflight. He was sleeping so peacefully...she bent forward and licked his ear. Firefall stayed awake for a while pondering the events of the previous seasons. Darkfang and Ghostface gone. Twilightpaw kidnapped by ShadowClan, and the deaths... oh so many deaths, she thought. Whitecough had spread through the clan in leaf-bare, and they had suffered much, but through darkness comes light. ThunderClan had two new

queens, new kits and apprentices.

After a while lying in the den, Firefall sat up, gave her ginger fur a quick lick and went out into the clearing. Ravenfeather was sharing tongues with her mate, Grayfang, near the fresh-kill pile. She padded up to them. Firefall needed some distraction from what had happened all those moons ago, and she hoped a talk with her cousin would light up her day.

"Hi, Firefall!" Ravenfeather said cheerfully. Her expression changed drastically when she saw the hurt look on her friend's face. "Firefall, what's wrong?" she questioned quietly.

"I was just thinking about some stuff," Firefall said absentmindedly.

"Are you still down about all those events that happened...I don't know...quite some time ago?" Ravenfeather told her friend. Firefall could tell she was worried about her, but somewhere in those eyes was a glint of amusement.

"Ravenfeather I-" She stopped when she saw her mate padding towards her.

"Hello, Owlflight." Firefall touched her nose to his.

"How about I get you some fresh-kill?" He suggested quietly, nodding to Ravenfeather and Grayfang.

"I'll join you. She-cats and their she-cat talk. Always so emotional," Grayfang joked. Ravenfeather growled good-naturedly, softly cuffing him over the head. Both toms padded to the fresh-kill pile to grab something to eat.

"As I was saying, I just can't seem to forget about it." Firefall was quiet for a moment, waiting for an answer from her cousin.

After a while Ravenfeather finally answered. "Now, point number one: we know that Windfoot loves Twilightpaw so there is only a slight chance of anything awful happening to her. Second of all, stop worrying for StarClan's sake!" She meowed, reassuring her friend.

Firefall was always amazed by how much Ravenfeather had changed. Ever since their warrior ceremony about a moon ago, she had been nothing but a happy bundle of fur. She was now a beautiful warrior with a great mate. Nothing Ravenfeather's father had ever said about his kits could top that.

"You're right Ravenfeather. How about I ask Redstorm if we can go out hunting in a

bit?" Firefall was really proud that her father was deputy of the clan now, although somehow she missed seeing her grandmother striding around the camp giving out orders. She visited her grandmother frequently in the elders' den, where she also often found Sunblaze.

Firefall padded across the clearing to where her father was sharing tongues with Ratwhisker, her mother. Firefall touched noses with her parents swiftly, instantly jumping to the question.

"Redstorm, me and Ravenfeather are going hunting," Firefall said in a very high-pitched voice. She stopped abruptly when she realized her parents were looking at her like she had just turned into a winged hedgehog. She cleared her voice and started again, feeling her ears grow red with embarrassment. "What I meant was," she said more slowly, "Ravenfeather and I are going hunting. Should we take anyone else?"

"Firefall, you're a warrior now and you still behave like a three-moons-old kit." Ratwhisker scowled at her playfully, giving her daughter a lick between her ears.

"Yes, you can take an another warrior," Redstorm meowed to Firefall.

She bid her parents a quick goodbye before padding off to find Ravenfeather. The black she cat was standing at the edge of the camp with Waterwhisker. Firefall yowled a greeting to her brother and ran out of the camp just to the edge of the wall. The other warriors came up after her in just a few heartbeats.

"How about we hunt near the ShadowClan border? If were lucky we might be able to catch a patrol and ask them about Twilightpaw," Firefall told them.

"Sounds fine to me," her brother meowed.

They padded swiftly through the forest, stopping to catch the occasional prey that they stumbled upon. As the three warriors neared the border they halted and spread out. Firefall went closest to the invisible line, occasionally casting a nervous glance at the dark pine forest. At sunhigh she had caught three mice and a sparrow, and she began to pad back to their meeting place, but instead of going there directly she went to the border to see if the ShadowClan scent was recent. It wasn't, but she could smell something else, something that was all too familiar. Darkfang.

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**Dun dun dun….**


	4. Gathering

**And here is Chapter 4, 'scuse the late update, I had a report due. Voila…**

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The moon was already climbing into the sky as the ThunderClan warriors departed from camp on their way to island for the Gathering. Firefall, Mothwhisker, Ravenfeather and Waterwhisker padded next to each other. The four of them, including Owlfight and Grayfang, had grown quite close over the past leafbare, finding comfort in each other during the grim moons of cold, hunger, and sickness. Willowsong and Cinderstep were also with them occasionally, but with both she-cats now confined to the nursery, their group remained a six-cat crew.

The subject of Waterwhisker and Willowsong was one that was often brought up on warm newleaf afternoons when they were all sunning themselves outside the den, and it had become a constant area of teasing for both warriors. When Mothwhisker asked Waterwhisker about his mate, he would blink nervously and look away, a sheepish smile on his face. Willowsong would always just laugh and say that she and Waterwhisker had been best friends as apprentices, but Firefall and Ravenfeather had been too blind with envy for Owlflight and Cinderstep that they had been completely oblivious. This usually got everyone quiet, because _that_ subject was still a sore spot between the three she-cats, no matter how many moons had passed.

When asked, it was hard for Firefall to recount what had happened between her and Owlflight. After Cinderstep was injured and Grayfang began to pad after Ravenfeather, they had been pushed together both willingly and unwillingly, and hadn't noticed until it was plain in every other cat's eyes.

The ThunderClan cats descended into the hollow like water pouring off a leaf. After so many patrols together and battles fought beside each other, the ThunderClan warriors moved fluidly and with practiced ease. Firefall always felt a surge of pride and superiority when ThunderClan entered the clearing. Despite the hardships of leafbare, ThunderClan was thriving, and had a huge Clan of strong, healthy warriors to show for it. In Firefall's eyes, the other Clans seemed weak and scrawny compared to her own.

This was Firefall's second Gathering as a warrior. On the first, she and Ravenfeather had gone alone, and it seemed even more daunting than when she had gone as an apprentice. Now, with their whole group, minus Owlflight and Grayfang, marching alongside their golden leader and his fiery deputy, it seemed that nothing would ever defeat ThunderClan.

With the ThunderClan warriors tonight were also three new apprentices. In reality, there were six ThunderClan apprentices, but this would be the first Gathering for only three. Rabbitpaw and Nettlepaw were nearly finished with there training, and had already been to several Gatherings, and Mirepaw had been to his first a couple moons ago. But Snowpaw, Sandpaw and Cavepaw, Goldbrook's second litter, were here for their first time.

Firefall took pleasure in showing apprentices around, and as soon as the ThunderClan cats had begun to mingle with the other Clans (WindClan and RiverClan, for ShadowClan hadn't arrived yet), she and Ravenfeather snatched the bewildered siblings up and took them around the clearing.

"Elders sit there," Firefall meowed, indicating the place where Squirrelclaw was now stooping down to speak with a skinny tabby WindClan elder.

"And that's where senior warriors talk about battles, it's very interesting, you learn some good techniques there," Ravenfeather explained, gesturing at the group of senior Clan warriors.

"Where do apprentices go?" Sandpaw queried eagerly, her bright blue eyes darting around the clearing with a hungry fascination.

"I suppose you could go anywhere you want, but we always sat right over there," Ravenfeather replied, leading the three younger cats to a worn patch of grass, rubbed by countless sets of paws until it was mostly bare dirt.

Firefall followed, and the five cats sat down in the grassy patch with two other RiverClan apprentices. Firefall recognized Washpaw and Fastpaw, the two toms that she had spoken to on the night of the Gathering when she had met Darkfang in the woods. She quickly pushed the memory away, preferring to forget it as quickly as possible.

"This is Snowpaw, Sandpaw and Cavepaw," Ravenfeather meowed to the other apprentices. Sandpaw glared sharply at her for a moment, and then turned and began to talk very fast to the two RiverClan cats. Ravenfeather suppressed a laugh, and she and Firefall stepped away to talk together while keeping an eye on the ThunderClan apprentices.

"We were never like that," Firefall said haughtily, a spark dancing in her eye.

"Oh come on, mouse-brain, we've only been warriors for a couple of moons," Ravenfeather replied with a shake of her head.

"I know, but _really_, we _weren't_ like that. I'd swear on StarClan that I had some dignity, even as an apprentice," Firefall mewed, frowning.

Ravenfeather narrowed her eyes and raised her chin, her tail twitching. "Yes, Firefall," she drawled in a dry, mocking tone, "If any cat had dignity, it was you." She kept a straight face for a moment and stared at Firefall out of the corner of her eye, before the black she-cat burst out laughing. Firefall snorted, her whiskers quivering.

"You're the worst friend, Ravenfeather, I honestly don't know why I put up with you," she said, turning away and feigning anger.

Ravenfeather gave her a knowing smirk. "I'll bet its because I cover for you when you sleep until sunhigh every day. That's as good a reason as any isn't it?"

Firefall gasped with mock surprise and opened her mouth to reply, but she never got the chance, because at that moment, ShadowClan emerged from the trees.

A collective gasp and a few cries of surprise echoed around the clearing, and Ravenfeather uttered a little whimper of shock. The small group of ShadowClan warriors looked as if they had all been run over by monsters on the Thunderpath, and perhaps chewed up and spit out by badgers after that.

Gravelstar was at the head, with a mud-stained Windfoot by his side, and behind them were seven or eight tired looking ShadowClan cats that seemed barely able to stay on their feet. And as Firefall anxiously scanned the crowd, she found one figure that she had never thought to see again in her life.

"Twilightpaw," Ravenfeather breathed, echoing Firefall's astonished thoughts.

"But I thought-" Firefall began, and Ravenfeather finished her sentence, "She was dead." They both fell silent, as did the entire clearing, as Gravelstar leaped unsteadily onto the branches of the Great Oak.

"What did this to you?" Froststar mewed in disbelief, as the other leaders made room for the huge gray tom.

"In time," Gravelstar rasped, and the she-cat fell silent.

Lionstar stepped forward now, his face betraying no emotion. "The Gathering shall begin. I will speak first," he meowed. Gravelstar flashed a grateful glance, and then bent down and began to slowly lick his wounds.

"ThunderClan prospers this newleaf!" the tall golden tom yowled. There were a few halfhearted cheers from the ThunderClan cats. "We have three new apprentices. Sandpaw, Snowpaw and Cavepaw, and Vinetail has given birth to a litter of two. If any Clan decides that they want a slice of our territory, they'll have to rethink their plan." Lionstar dipped his head to the other leaders amid some more raucous cheers from Sunblaze and Sootstreak.

Tanglestar stepped forward quickly after, and began to speak rapidly into the air, his eyes focused on nothing in particular. "WindClan prospers we have a new apprentice Loop-paw and many kits also Grassnose is a warrior and the prey is running well and WindClan has nothing else to report." He finished with a slight choke, cast a narrow-eyed glare at Lionstar and then scrambled backwards.

"Strangest cat I've ever seen," mumbled Ravenfeather quietly.

"I'm surprised he ever got to be leader. He's the most mouse-brained fool of cat that ever was, I'm sure," Firefall meowed. Ravenfeather snickered and twitched her tail.

It was Froststar's turn to speak. Firefall had always admired the pretty gray she-cat; she hoped that she was as graceful and confident a warrior as the RiverClan leader.

"RiverClan has had a hard leaf-bare, but we have recovered well, and like ThunderClan and WindClan, have new kits and warriors. Duskfur has given birth to two beautiful she-kits, and Flowerfur and Stoneheart are now warriors. There have no sins of twolegs near our border, and the river is full of fish. Tanglestar, I would like to remind you that the alder copse near the horseplace is RiverClan territory, and will remain so." She swished her tail and then stepped back.

A hush fell over the crowd as Gravelstar looked up and took a weary step forward.

"I can see that you are all eager to know what has happened to my Clan. Well, I will tell you, and I say this: beware yourselves. You all probably know Darkfang, the ThunderClan traitor."

A surprised murmur swept across the hollow. Firefall's stomach plummeted at the sound of the name, and she turned to Ravenfeather, who had a look of miserable horror on her face.

"He's a twofaced liar and a murderer!" snarled Snakefang. Gingerfoot was her brother, and she had been particular hurt when he had died, not to mention her mother, Ambertail who was killed at Darkfang's own claws.

"We know Darkfang. He took the lives of two of our warriors in the Battle of the River, with ShadowClan, a few seasons ago," Lionstar spoke up quietly. His eyes were dull with grief. After Ambertail's death he had stayed in his den for days, and when he came out it seemed as if he had left half of himself behind.

Gravelstar gave a derisive laugh and continued, "Well, it is good that I am not alone in wishing him dead." Again, there was a ripple of surprise.

"Surely he hasn't murdered a ShadowClan warrior too?" meowed a shocked WindClan warrior.

"He has." The two words fell like stones from Gravelstar's jaws, and now the clearing was completely silent. "He and a group of rogues attacked our camp yesterday. Treeclaw and Flowpaw are in StarClan now, and Quickfoot's life hangs by a thread."

The finality of the statement made Firefall's breath catch in her throat.

"I do not mean to be forward, Gravelstar, but how did a mere band of rogues wreak such havoc on a strong Clan such as yours?" Lionstar said. His gaze was sharp now, and Firefall was pleased to see the old Lionstar returning.

Before Gravelstar could answer, Redstorm rose to his feet and meowed. "We scented rogues near our border today. There seemed to be many of them, six or even more. Darkfang is up to something, and it disturbs me not to know what. He's as wily as a fox and as cold-hearted as a hawk. There is nothing that pile of fox-dung won't do to get his way. I'd advise all the Clans to be aware if he's gathering followers."

He didn't need to say it, but it was in every cat's mind. _It's like the legend of Tigerstar and Firestar, repeated_, Firefall thought to herself grimly.

"They call themselves FangClan." Gravelstar's cry cut through the thoughtful silence like an ice-cold claw.

"They've created a _Clan_?" yowled Sootstreak in disbelief, her whiskers quivering.

"That's absurd! And who's the leader?" meowed a RiverClan she-cat.

"Darkfang. They call him Darkstar. His deputy is a silver tom. There are some Clan cats as well – Blackstripe of my Clan and our medicine cat apprentice, Huntedwing. I believe that other Clans have lost cats as well. Have you not?" He cast a challenging glare at the other leaders.

Tanglestar merely gave a curt nod, but Froststar stepped forward, a shocked look on her face. "Shrewtail and Tabbypelt were missing, but we supposed…I had no idea…they were good warriors. Both of them, always loyal. I never thought this might happen. I'm terribly sorry, Gravelstar. We will do everything we can to destroy this 'FangClan'."

Gravelstar nodded gravely. "I understand, Froststar, I feel the same way about the warriors of my Clan who have deserted. Lionstar-" Gravelstar cut off the golden tom as he tried to explain. "I don't blame you either Lionstar, I know that you are a good, honorable tom, and Darkfang is no fault of yours."

There was a general nodding of heads. "The silver tom, the deputy of FangClan is Ghostface," meowed Waterwhisker during the silence.

"Ah yes…" A glitter appeared in Gravelstar's eyes. Firefall was beginning to be a bit shocked by the ShadowClan leader's lack of "evilness", but now she felt relieved to see the familiar dark smile on his face. "The half-Clan kitten. We killed his sister, if I remember. Perhaps that's why he so viciously attacked poor little Flowpaw." There was a grim laugh behind his words that caused a bit of bile to rise in Firefall's throat.

The other cats seemed unperturbed by this. After all, _this_ was natural ShadowClan behavior.

"I m without a doubt that the Clans should band together against this new menace," Lionstar meowed after a moment.

Gravelstar began to open his mouth, a frown on his face, but Lionstar interrupted him. "I don't mean joining Clans or anything mouse-brained like that, but we have a common enemy now. If any cat scents FangClan in their territory or his harmed by a FangClan patrol, they must send word of it to each Clan leader immediately. This way we will always have an idea of FangClan's whereabouts, and be prepared if an attack is coming."

Frost immediately meowed her agreement. The other two leaders hesitated, but finally Gravelstar relented, consenting that it _was_ a good idea, even it seemed a bit unnecessary. Tanglestar seemed as if he was on the verge of refusing. Until his deputy hissed in his ear, and then he called out, "WindClan agrees."

Now that it was decided, and there was not much more for either Can to say, the leaders leapt down from the tree, and the Gathering was over.

Firefall and Ravenfeather seized the few moments before they had to follow their Clan home to talk to Windfoot and Twilightpaw. They found both of the cats seated together at the edge of the group of ShadowClan warriors.

"Windfoot! Twilightpaw!" Ravenfeather hissed from behind them. They both spun around to face the two ThunderClan warriors.

Firefall expected Twilightpaw to yowl with joy and run to greet them, but she surveyed them both with a level blue gaze, and made no move to come forward.

"What are you doing here?" Windfoot hissed. "ThunderClan is leaving!"

Ravenfeather looked hurt. "We wanted to talk to you," she meowed quietly.

Windfoot sighed. "There's not much to say. Twilightpaw is my apprentice now."

Firefall grinned. "That's great! How's ShadowClan, Twilightpaw?"

"It's my home now," replied the black she-cat simply. She blinked once, twice and her whiskers trembled a bit, as if she wanted to say something else, but then Gravelstar called to his Clan, and she turned away. As they left, Firefall realized with a jolt that Windfoot had twined his tail with hers.

"We used to be pretty good friends with her, remember?" Ravenfeather mewed sadly as she loped away to rejoin their Clan. "And Windfoot."

"Things change, Ravenfeather. Besides, they're not even our Clanmates anymore. They wall different paths."

Ravenfeather sighed, but she looked up at Firefall with a questioning stare. "I thin you're wrong, Firefall. _In the darkness there is fear, and before the red dawn, when light may shine, all must be brave. _ Remember that? I think we walk the same path. We always have."

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	5. Predictions

**Ugh, I am so sorry for how late this is. My stories have sort of been on hiatus for a bit because I've been cruelly busy with school and other stuff. You can throw tomatoes at me if you want. My bad…here's Chappie 5, from Firefall's POV. If I recall correctly, they were at the Gathering the in the last chapter. Let's see…this is a day or two later.**

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The wind that blew through Firefall's fur was deliciously warm and gentle, bringing with it the soft, sweet aroma of new plants and juicy prey. Though her mouth watered at the taste of mouse and vole and thrush in the air, she determinedly ignored it, concentrating on the job in front of her.

She was on sun-high patrol with Redstorm, Waterwhisker, Eagletalon, Sandpaw and Cavepaw. The two apprentices were dancing around the older warriors eagerly, their eyes alight with adventure.

"Remember, we're keeping-" Redstorm began in a stern voice.

"An eye out for _Fangy-Clan_," interrupted Sandpaw in a bored, you've-already-said-that-a-hundred-times voice. She darted in front of her mentor and rolled her eyes, meowing, "With the way you talk about it, FangClan has probably been stalking us all day."

Redstorm's lip curled. "Don't be rude, Sandpaw. And I wouldn't treat it so lightly." He cuffed her gently over the head, but Firefall didn't miss the spark of affection in his eyes for the spunky young she-cat. The red deputy fell back a few steps until he was padding alongside his daughter.

"Sandpaw reminds of someone else I know," he muttered gruffly, casting her a sideways glance.

Firefall smirked. "You can't possibly be talking about me, can you?"

Redstorm chuckled quietly. "You were quite the adventurer when you were a kit. Always sneaking off when you thought I wasn't looking. Poor Ratwhisker had a hard time keeping up with you."

Waterwhisker turned and stared over his shoulder at Firefall and Redstorm. "I believe I get some credit for our exploits," he meowed jokingly. "There was that time when it was snowing and I dragged poor Firefall out into the-"

"I'd rather not relive that terrifying experience, if you don't mind," Firefall cut him off with grunt. "You made me eat oak leaves because you said they would make me warmer. I'll never forgive you."

Waterwhisker gave a snorting laugh and returned to sniffing a fern frond.

There was a calm silence for a few moments as the patrol continued along through the forest, checking all of the boundaries and being especially wary of any sign of rogues.

Suddenly, Eagletalon pulled up short, and Firefall almost ran into his flank.

"Hang on," murmured the old warrior, his voice deep and husky. He bent to the ground, his tail sticking straight up into the air like a sapling reaching for sunlight. "Redstorm, smell this," he growled solemnly.

The deputy loped forward and pressed his nose to the same patch of grass that Eagletalon was so intent upon. After a minute, he jerked his head up, his eyes wide with fury, and even possibly fear.

"It smells like-"

"Mouse," Redstorm finished grimly.

Firefall started at them, waiting for either one to continue. After a long moment, she growled, "What?"

Redstorm's eyes shifted slowly to hers. "FangClan has been hunting on our territory. And by the ShadowClan border, too. I hope they haven't done Gravelstar any more harm."

"FangClan?" Firefall shivered involuntarily and took a step forward to sniff at the grass herself. It most definitely reeked of Darkfang's scent, mixed with others that she didn't know. She realized that she had been upwind **(A/N: wow, dumb, I know, but I can't remember if it's upwind or downwind when you cant smell stuff…)** – that was why she hadn't smelled it earlier.

"Hunting on our territory?" Cavepaw growled. The big gray tom glanced curiously at Eagletlon. "We should track them down."

Redstorm shook his huge head sadly. "The scent is at least an hour stale, if not ten. There's no way we'd catch them, not to mention that they're probably well into ShadowClan territory by now. I wonder if Lionstar will allow us to go speak with Gravelstar. It'd be nice to get a little more information on the attack. I haven't even seen Darkfang since…well it was before leafbare." A flicker of untruth flashed behind his eyes, as if there was something he hadn't mentioned. Firefall suddenly recalled the fact that her father, and her father's mother, had received the same dreams, with the prophecy and terrifying black cats.

Shuddering, Firefall followed the deputy back to camp. Eagletalon seemed eager to pass the news on to Lionstar, but Redstorm was quiet, absorbed in his own thoughts.

Once they reached camp, the deputy immediately broke away from the group, leaving the huge brown tabby tom to report their discovery to Lionstar. He veered toward the warriors' den, no doubt to consult Ratwhisker or Stripedthroat. Firefall followed quickly.

"Father!" she hissed, willing him not to ignore her. Redstorm paused and turned to look at her, his expression dark.

"What is it, Firefall?" he meowed emotionlessly.

"You know it as well as I do!" she meowed. Redstorm eyed her cautiously. "The prophecy, Redstorm! Darkfang, FangClan…you….it's all in place, and you know it too."

Redstorm drew a deep breath and peered at her out from under a grim frown. "The thought has occurred to me that Scarletspirit's prophecy has something to do with these particular recent events."

"Come on, don't talk like that. Be reasonable," Firefall hissed. "_In the darkness there is fear, and before the red dawn, when light may shine, all must be brave._ How many times am I going to have to hear it? First Ravenfeather, now you…it seems to me that everything is a bit conveniently connected right now, don't you think?"

Redstorm gazed at her for a moment longer, and then sighed in defeat. "I admit, it is convenient," he meowed. "_In the darkness there is fear_…well, you and Ravenfeather already analyzed most of it, or so I hear from Mistystone, but I might have a few interesting theories of my own."

"Considering the dreams you've had, I don't doubt it," Firefall replied. Redstorm had told her about his nightmares, where Darkfang chased him through a shadowy forest, driven on by some higher power that was invisible to the deputy's eyes.

Redstorm nodded thoughtfully. "True. But, in that case, considering the dreams I've had, the first part of the prophecy has already come true."

Firefall's whiskers twitched. "It has, has it? How so? Shouldn't a prophecy come true all at the same time."

Redstorm gave a slight smile. "You'd agree with me in believing this isn't quite the most conventional prophecy, Firefall. Considering it's kept within a single family and three _warriors_ have dreamt it. Not to mention however many more know about it against the tradition. Technically, I should never have told Stripethroat and you should never have told Ravenfeather. Now, granted, it's turned out alright, but that's not how most prophecies go along."

Nodding reluctantly, Firefall meowed, "You have a point. In that case, how has the prophecy come true? I don't feel much different, and Darkfang is still lurking somewhere."

"I said the first part of the prophecy, not the whole thing," Redstorm reminded her thoughtfully. "As I was saying, _'In the _darkness_ there is fear_'…don't you think that darkness could refer to Darkfang himself?"

Firefall rolled her eyes. "Ravenfeather and I deduced that ages ago, Redstorm."

Redstorm looked a little disappointed. "Oh. But don't worry – I have more. If that is the case, which it could very well not be, and I have some theories on that as well, then why is Darkfang afraid? He seemed to have everything he's ever wanted from life. Power, his own Clan, and a name to be feared."

Again, Firefall shook her head, a smile twitching on her muzzle. "We figured that out too. Darkfang is afraid of Tigerstar."

Redstorm's eyes jumped, and he dropped all solemn pretenses for a moment. "What? When did you find this out? How come-"

"Calm down, calm down," Firefall sighed, waving her tail over her head. "He slipped up. That night of the battle, he spilled it. And plenty of times before that, too, we were just too focused on his deeds than the motivation behind them. You heard him, remember? _Tigerstar will catch us_, or whatever nonsense he was spewing that day."

Redstorm sucked in another deep breath, and then released it sadly. "I suppose it does make complete sense," he meowed, but his thoughts seemed elsewhere.

"Another thing that's bothering me though, about the prophecy…" Firefall meowed, in a low voice."

The red tom turned to her again and cast her a questioning look.

Firefall grimaced. "The battle with ShadowClan, before leafbare…don't you think it would make sense for that to have been the red dawn?" There was a hint of desperation behind her words. "Because if it wasn't, what is? If it's worse than that…" she trailed off.

Redstorm looked thoughtful for a moment, and then replied slowly, his eyes bright with discovery, "Unless the red dawn isn't a battle at all. It would make sense, true, for that to have been it, but maybe…again, you're right about nothing feeling different. If Darkfang _is_ the 'darkness', than the red dawn apparently hasn't come yet, has it?"

Firefall sighed and lashed her tail. "I can't wrap my head around this anymore. It's all so _complicated_. I thought StarClan's prophecies were meant to make our lives easier, not twist them even further than they're already twisted."

They both nodded to themselves, lost in thought for a moment. Then, as Redstorm rose to his feet, Firefall looked up at him sharply again. "One more thing," she meowed. Her father paused and met her gaze again.

"Windkit," she meowed quietly. Redstorm's eyes darkened, and a sad, pained look filled them. Firefall gave a grim grunt of recognition. "Did you know, Redstorm? That Darkfang killed my brother, your son?"

Redstorm stood stock still for a moment, and then slowly, carefully, sank to his haunches again, his whiskers trembling. "No," he began, and then added hastily, "Not at first. I know now, but no one guessed back then, not even me."

Firefall nodded. "I told you what Darkfang said to me on the night of the Battle, right?" she mewed quietly.

Redstorm nodded. Firefall had confided only in Lionstar, her father, and Ravenfeather about the events of her conversation with Darkfang. She remembered it with a shudder, and muttered absentmindedly, "The wrong Windkit…"

"What?" Redstorm questioned. The red she-cat looked up, and answered, "I was just thinking about Windfoot. Gravelstar took him to ShadowClan and made him deputy because he knew that Windfoot would grow up to be an important figure in Clan history, right?"

"Right," Redstorm replied.

"Then where does Windfoot fit in to the prophecy?" Firefall mused.

Redstorm cocked his head, and after a contemplative silence, meowed, "The light."

Now it was Firefall's turn to meow, "Huh?"

With a sad smile, Redstorm explained. "Didn't you see Windfoot on the day of the Great Battle. He stood next to Gravelstar and his pelt shimmered like a star of Silverpelt. At first I thought he was a warrior of StarClan. Perhaps 'the light' that's supposed to shine is Windfoot."

"It does make sense," Firefall murmured. Then a sudden cloud passed over her face. "But how can ThunderClan ever ally itself with ShadowClan after all that's happened? I can't see how Windfoot can ever help us."

Slowly, like the sun creeping over the trees on a winter morning, a smile spread across Redstorm's muzzle. "Gravelstar only has two lives left."

For a moment, Firefall didn't understand, but then she shook her head and meowed, "There's no way we could get away with murdering Gravelstar, even if we wanted to." She shivered. "Then again, with FangClan on the loose, maybe Darkfang will do it for us."

The grin on her father's face did not disappear – in fact, it might have just grown wider. "Firefall, that's just what I've been thinking."

"How?"

"It's not so hard to lay a false trail of misdeeds leading straight to Gravelstar's den. Perhaps there are cats in FangClan who'd rather be somewhere else – we can frame ShadowClan. They've done more than enough cat-napping to be suspect."

Firefall's whiskers twitched. "I'm sure it's a fine plan, but there are too many loopholes. First of all, why would any cat join FangClan only to leave it? If there's any cat in that Clan who didn't join out of free will, I'll bet Darkfang's keeping on eye on them, at least. Not to mention the fact that we'd have to deal with the wrath of all of ShadowClan if they ever found out."

Redstorm snorted. "Nothing we can't deal with."

"If Windfoot turns out to be such a great hero, perhaps not. I think we might have to give it more thought than that, Redstorm," Firefall chided softly.

The deputy sighed and lashed his tail in frustration. "But if we know what Darkfang wants-"

"And do we know what Darkfang wants?" Firefall questioned spitefully. "We know he wanted Lionstar killed. It didn't work. Lionstar has 6 lives left, and Darkfang knows that we're watching out for that trick again."

**(A/N: I think Lionstar has 6 lives, because he lost 2 when he was attacked during the Battle, and one during the sickness.)**

"True. You're finding too many flaws in my plan Firefall - it's disconcerting. Perhaps I'll ask Lionstar to name you vice-deputy or something," Redstorm grunted grudgingly.

Firefall grimaced and didn't reply. "All I'm saying is, we have a lot to think about."

"Sure we do. Now I'm going to talk to Stripethroat, if you don't mind," growled her father, and he turned tail and stalked into the warriors' den.

Sighing, Firefall rose to her feet and stretched, and, for the lack of anything else more interesting to do, loped off to the nursery. Inside, Vinetail, Gingerkit and Ashkit were sound asleep. Leafstep and Willowsong were murmuring to each other in quiet voices, watching as Whitekit and Turtlekit battered back and forth, giggling and squealing.

"Hello, Firefall!" meowed Leafstep cheerfully as the red warrior stepped into the cool shade of the den. Ever since Leafstep had given birth to her second litter, every cat in ThunderClan had noticed a change in her mood, and in Stripethroat's. After the disaster of their last litter, with the first Turtlekit murdered at the claws of Leafstep's own clanmates, and Ghostface turning traitor against his father's Clan, both cats had been slightly depressed. These days, a new energy seemed to put a happy spring in both their steps.

"Hey!" Firefall mewed, but it was a bit of a pathetic excuse for excitement. Leafstep's twitched her ears, and Willowsong blinked a few times.

"How are you?" Firefall asked. The question was directed at them both, but Willowsong answered first.

"Oh, bored to death of course. I know I've got a ways to go until the kits are born, but Bloomfrost insists that I stay in here. Not to mention I've got Waterwhisker breathing down my neck." She gave a snort of amusement, and lashed her tail.

"Speak of the devil," murmured Leafstep dryly. Firefall jumped as she heard a rustle behind her, and then turned to find Waterwhisker pushing hurriedly into the den.

"Firefall!" he cried, surprised. He stared at her for a moment, and Firefall figured with a smirk that he was probably trying to remember if Owlflight had said anything about his mate expecting kits.

"Hey, Waterwhisker," Firefall mewed, tapping her nose to his with a smile. "I was just visiting poor Willowsong here. It seems to me like you need to let her relax."

Waterwhisker shifted uncomfortable on his paws, and replied, "I just – don't want – her to be – er – uncomfortable…" he stammered, his dark blue eyes shifting between his sister ad his mat nervously.

Willowsong gave a gentle laugh and rose to her feet to rub her nose against Waterwhisker's shoulder. He purred happily and they sat down next to each other, tails entwined.

"It's not as bad as I make it out to be," Willowsong said, glancing sideways at Firefall, warning her not to say a word. Then she turned back to Waterwhisker and meowed, "I just get irritable sometimes. So, what were you coming in here to say?"

Once again left with nothing to do, Firefall padded out of the den and back into the blazing sunlight. _Maybe I'll got get Owlflight to come hunting, _she thought to herself. The danger of FangClan lurked constantly in the shadows of her mind, but she ignored it for the time being, determined to enjoy one of the first sunny days of the year.

She found Owlflight in the training hollow with Sootstreak, Mirepaw, Goldbrook and Nettlepaw. The two apprentices were battling each other furiously, though it looked like Mirepaw had the upper hand. The small dark tom, Snakefang's son, was quick and light on his feet, but Nettlepaw had more experience. As she watched, Nettlepaw expertly flipped her opponent onto his back and clawed triumphantly at his exposed belly, with sheathed claws.

"Well done, Nettlepaw!" Goldbrook complimented cheerfully as the apprentices backed away from each other and licked the dust from their fur.

"You'll get her next time, Mirepaw," Sootstreak mewed encouragingly. Mirepaw gave a playful growl of defeat and cuffed Nettlepaw lightly across the jaw. She twitched her tail and turned away, a smug grin on her face.

"Hey Firefall!" greeted Owlflight as she approached the hollow. The other cats looked up and nodded to her.

"Hey!" she meowed back.

"Did you see me beat Mirepaw?" Nettlepaw meowed, her whiskers quivering with satisfaction. "Now all I have to do is take down Rabbitpaw and then he'll owe me four voles and a trade for elder duty. Come on, let's practice some more!"

The pretty tabby she-cat turned back to Mirepaw, and they began again, circling each other in swirling, complex patterns as their mentors directed them carefully from the sidelines.

"Owlflight, do you hunt with me for a bit?" Firefall asked quietly, turning away from the battling apprentices.

The golden tom flicked his ears and nodded, and then followed Firefall up the sides of the hollow and into the forest. The two warriors padded on in silence, noses in the air.

"What are you thinking?" meowed Owlflight suddenly, turning to lock his amber eyes onto Firefall's emerald ones.

The red she-cat hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "I was just talking to Redstorm about FangClan, and Darkfang. We were thinking there must be something behind it all."

She wasn't whether or not to bring up the prophecy with her mate, but decided that now was not the time, in any case.

"Oh," he meowed, sniffing at a fern frond.

Firefall frowned. "Why?"

Owlflight sighed and his tail twitched once. "I don't know, really. I just have this feeling that things are getting…well, messed up. There's so many Half-Clan cats we don't know what to with them all, not to mention traitors and loners…the Clans seem to be going down hill."

Firefall gave him a stunned glare. "Don't tell me you think we should throw out Leafstep and Sootstreak and the others? Don't turn into a Tigerstar, Owlflight!" she growled.

Owlflight's gaze flickered uneasily at her words. "No, no, not that…Sootstreak and Leafstep are as loyal warriors as we could ever want, I don't doubt that at all. But Windfoot and Twilightpaw? Ghostface? ThunderClan is hardly ThunderClan anymore, and what with the new FangClan and everything, all of the Clans seem to having similar problems. Our traditions are falling apart…" His expression was so forlorn that Firefall couldn't help but bite back her sharp reply.

She sighed and mewed softly, "I suppose StarClan has a reason for it all, Owlflight. I know what you mean, though. Apprentices get their warriors names faster than ever, and it seems like…hey, their isn't even a word for it."

There was another long, thoughtful silence, and then Owlflight said, "But things aren't terrible, right? Things could always be worse."

And then, at that very moment, a scent that made Firefall's pelt bristle and her tongue curl struck the roof of her mouth, and both she and Owlflight took a few involuntary steps backward. A few moments later, a rustle in the bushes made them both turn.

Four cats were emerging from the undergrowth. They looked sleek and well fed, with glittering eyes and sharp, unsheathed claws. The cats stopped a few paces from Firefall and Owlflight, their tails lashing. Finally, the biggest one stepped forward. He was a long-legged black and gray tom with a dark, red-brown tail and wide yellow eyes.

Owlflight mirrored him, until they were only two tail-lengths away. "Who are you?" hissed the golden warrior, his lips curled in a snarl.

The black and gray tom hesitated, before replying in a deep, rough voice, "We are warriors of FangClan…" he looked over his shoulder at small black she-cat, who was crouch in an aggressive stance at his flank. They stared at each other for a moment, and then the tom turned back and meowed flatly, "Who are you?"

"Warriors of ThunderClan. Why are you trespassing on our territory?" Owlflight hissed. Fear and surprise was now evident in his hardened amber gaze, and he shot Firefall a questioning look before turning slowly back to the FangClan patrol.

Finally, the black she-cat darted forward, shoving the tom out of the way. "We're doing as we've been told!" she growled. "Give us one reason why we shouldn't shred you right now! I've heard that ThunderClan cats are as weak as kits!"

Firefall swallowed a scathing comment and only bared her teeth in reply, stepping up beside Owlflight and puffing out her fur.

The black and gray tom tapped his comrade on the shoulder and mewed quietly, "Darkstar told us not to kill them! We're supposed to capture them, mouse-brain."

The black she-cat pondered this for a moment, while panic swelled in Firefall's chest.

"Owlflight!" she hissed. "We can't beat them in a fight! We should run now!"

"No," the golden tom replied sharply. "I won't to flee like a fox-brained apprentice!" His eyes were alight with the prospect of a battle.

The four FangClan cats were tense, but they seemed unsure of what to do.

"Let's fight them!" yowled one of the warriors, his claws kneading the ground. "We won't kill them, we'll just weaken them so we can drag them back to Darkstar and they won't be struggling the whole way!"

The other cats nodded slowly. The black and gray tom narrowed his eyes as if thinking, and then suddenly meowed, "Yes, let's!"

It happened so fast that Firefall hardly had time to unsheathe her claws. The warriors who had been standing across from them a second were suddenly encircling them, fangs bared, and closing in.

"You mouse-brain!" Firefall wailed under her breath to Owlflight as they pressed together, watching the FangClan warriors approach. "We should have run when we had the chance!"

Owlflight just shrugged, bent back his head, and released an earsplitting caterwaul. Then he launched himself straight at one of the opposing warriors. His claws met the cat's shoulder and as he tumbled past, he raked them through the cat's pelt. With a fearsome yowl, Firefall followed suit, leaping in the opposite direction.

She collided in mid-air with a small, mouse-brown tom. His teeth found her scruff and quickly pulled her down, but Firefall managed to twist out of his grip before he could bite down harder. They circled each other, tails waving gin the air, and then the tom charged again. Firefall was prepared this time, and sidestepped quickly as he sprinted past. She was one second too slow, though, and then brown cat succeeded in ripping one claw through her shoulder as he passed.

Firefall shrieked with pain, then clamped her jaws shut and blinked it away. The brown tom had tumbled face first into the leaves, carried too far by his own momentum. Seizing her chance, Firefall bunched her muscles to land on top of him, but suddenly another weight landed squarely on her flanks, unbalancing her so she was flung to the ground.

The red she-cat quickly jumped to her feet, ignoring the throbbing pain her shoulder and whipped around to face her attacker. It was the smallest of the cats, a thin black and brown tabby she-cat who looked like she was probably an apprentice.

The she-cat didn't waste time circling Firefall, but merely darted forward and gave her a good whack across her nose. Though Firefall managed to pull back just in time, her muzzle still stung with the blow. Anger flashed through her now, and without thinking she launched herself powerfully straight at the small cat.

The tabby's eyes flickered uncertainly, and as Firefall bore down upon her she panicked and tried to turn and run, but Firefall's claws caught her haunches and dragged her back. The she-cat let out a desperate meow of terror, and kicked feebly at Firefall's face. Growling, Firefall slashed at the apprentice's hind legs, leaving deep red furrows in her pelt.

The apprentice finally shook her off and fled, yowling, into the forest. Firefall looked after with a smug smile, and then turned back to see how Owlflight was faring. It took her a moment to realize that she had left her mate to face the three full-grown warriors on his own.

Owlflight was on the ground, kicking viciously at the black and gray tom's stomach, but it was obvious that he was losing. The tom had Owlflight's golden scruff in his jaws, and blood was already welling up between his teeth as he bit down. Hissing and spitting, Firefall hurled herself at the tom's side. He stumbled and released Owlflight's throat, as she had hoped, but then turned on her with hatred in his eyes.

Claws outstretch, the warrior reached to grab her around the neck. Firefall twisted and writhed, but he was stronger than her, and succeeded in pulling her down to the ground. He quickly rolled on top of her, his paws knocking the breath out of her. Firefall gasped as stars glittered in front of her eyes, and reached up to punch feebly at the tom's stomach with her back legs, but it was of little use.

Then suddenly, like music to her ears, Firefall recognized the battle cry of a ThunderClan patrol. Shaking away the spots that danced like black leaves before her vision, she turned to see who had come to save them.

Lionstar was at the head of a patrol of five ThunderClan cats: Puddlespots, Pinenose, Bentwing, Shadowclaw and Snowpaw poured out of the trees, heading straight for the FangClan warriors. In an instant, Firefall was free. She rose shakily to her paws, watching with grim satisfaction as the intruders escaped into the dark forest.

"Are you two alright?" mewed Bentwing, padding forward to nudge Owlflight to his feet. The golden tom was covered in blood from nose to tail-tip, and he trembled as he leaned against Bentwing's shoulder.

"What in the name of StarClan happened here?" Lionstar growled fiercely. His muzzle was bent to the ground as he scented the tracks of the FangClan patrol.

"We were attacked," Firefall replied weakly, her voice sounding distant and small.

"Why?" mewed Shadowclaw incredulously. "Did you insult them or something? They attacked you on our side of the border. Where did they come from anyway?" His voice was eager and excited.

"Calm down, Shadowclaw," Pinenose growled, glaring at his son. Shadowclaw's jaws snapped shut with an audible click, and he looked away, his eyes pained.

"They came from over by the Twolegplace, I think," mewed Owlflight hoarsely. He gave a shuddering cough and feel silent.

"Come on, let's get you back to camp," meowed Bentwing gently, leading Owlflight slowly back through the trees. Firefall limped after them, her head swimming.

"Thank you," she managed to croak to Lionstar as they neared the camp wall. The leader held back the brambles and motioned her through, meowing, "We were almost too late, Firefall. I'm surprised you and Owlflight handled four warriors that long anyway."

Firefall flashed a grim smile and stumbled into the camp, her paws like stones.

"Firefall!" someone cried. Ravenfeather's scent wreathed around her like a comforting mist as she limped to the medicine den behind Bentwing and Owlflight. Immediately, Ravenfeather offered her shoulder, and Firefall gratefully leaned against it, allowing her friend to support her. "What happened to you?"

"We were attacked by some FangClan warriors near the ShadowClan border," Firefall replied in a whisper. Her throat was too dry to say more.

"Well, Bloomfrost and Mistystone will look after you," Ravenfeather meowed reassuringly.

They reached the medicine den a moment later. Mistystone shooed Ravenfeather away and shoved Firefall down onto her side. Some foul-smelling herbs were shoved into her mouth, and then Mistytone offered her some tiny black poppy seeds.

Gratefully, Firefall lapped up the sleep-inducing seeds, and then relaxed and allowed the blackness to overwhelm her.

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**Kay, so that was very long, making up for all of my lost time.**


	6. Second Thoughts?

**Sorry if this kind of took a while, but I've super super busy. I know I always say that, but I SWEAR it's true. It gets harder to find time for writing when you're doing all this other crap for school….so ya, here's Chapter 6. If anybody has any ideas for this story, that'd be great, because I am running a bit dry, unfortunately.**

**This is the first chapter from Twilightpaw's POV. It starts out kind of like when Windfoot first went to ShadowClan, cause she all 'not sure if this is the right place for her', but her story is definitely different.**

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A lone crow perched solemnly on the branch of a pine tree. It's dark feathers were spotted with glittering drops of dew from the mist that hung among the forest. It was a wind-less morning, and the frigid air was thick and damp. The crow opened its beak and let out a mournful caw, its beady black eyes glittering.

Suddenly, a dark shape erupted from the ground, sailing towards the branch. It reached out a single, clawed paw, and hooked the crow's wing. Screeching, the bird was dragged down again, until it landed with a thud between the roots of the tree.

"_Excellent!_", came an excited cry. A silver tabby cat bounded out of the dark undergrowth, greeting a smaller black cat at the base of the pine. "That was _amazing_! I bet even Quickfoot wouldn't be able to hunt like that!"

The black cat purred, nosing the dead crow at her paws. "It wasn't really that hard," she mumbled, embarrassed.

The silver tom laughed, and scooped up the prey. "You're too modest, Twilightpaw," he chastised gently. "Come on, let's get out of this ghastly fog." He led the way through the trees until they came upon a little hollow in the ground. It was surrounded by a wall of thorns and ferns for keeping out unwanted intruders.

The two cats slipped through a tunnel, and then emerged into the hollow, where other cats of all shapes, sizes and colors were milling about their daily chores. Two apprentices trudged across the clearing with dripping moss clenched in their jaws, while another dragged dirty bedding out of a den.

Twilightpaw picked up the crow and trotted to the fresh kill pile, where she dropped it proudly on top.

"Did you catch that?" came a questioning meow. Twilightpaw turned to face Smallnose, a slender black queen.

"Yes," Twilightpaw replied, her eyes glinting.

Smallnose sniffed, her tail twitching. "Oh," she replied casually, doing a bad job of trying to hide the disappointed frown that crept across her face. "Good job."

"Thanks," Twilightpaw mewed coldly. She knew that before she had come to ShadowClan, Smallnose had been Windfoot's favorite. The she-cat hadn't taken her fall from favor kindly. The apprentice flicked her ear and turned her back on the warrior, traipsing toward the medicine cat den. Climbingpaw, her best (and probably only) friend in ShadowClan was the medicine cat apprentice.

The brown tom was resting with his nose in his paws at the entrance to the den when she approached. At the sound of her pawsteps, he looked up, blinking wearily. As soon as he recognized her, his face brightened.

"Twilightpaw!" he mewed happily, rising to his feet and touching her nose in greeting. "Twilightpath has kept me stuck in here all day. There's nothing to do, and I'm freezing. I was hoping you'd come around."

"Oh please, Climbingpaw. I come here every day. Twilightpath probably hates me, I get in her way so often," Twilightpaw replied exasperatedly.

Climbingpaw blinked. "She doesn't hate you," he mewed. "She probably wishes you were her apprentice instead of me. I'm useless, and look at you – perfect, and you've hardly been an apprentice for long."

Sighing, he settled back down, his green eyes sad. Twilightpaw glanced at him over her shoulder as she padded in circles around the little clearing, trying to keep her paws warm. Finally, after a long, quiet moment, she meowed, "Oh, grow up, Climbingpaw! Just because you haven't had a prophecy from StarClan yet, or something, doesn't mean you're a bad medicine cat! I bet Twilightpath hasn't spoken to them in ages anyway."

Climbingpaw sighed and meowed, "I know. It's just that sometimes I wonder if I'm even cut out to be a medicine cat at all."

"It's what you want, isn't it? You chose that over being a warrior, so it must be important to you," Twilightpaw mewed reasonably.

He nodded, his shoulders slumped. "I really do want it. And I really do try."

Suddenly, Twilightpaw heard someone calling her name from the main clearing. She glanced at Climbingpaw, smiling encouragingly. "I have to go," she said. "I'm sure you're fine, Climbingpaw. Being a medicine cat takes a lot of hard work – you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

The black she-cat padded away grumbling about being ordered around too much. But when she entered the central clearing, she saw only Windfoot, crouched by the fresh-kill pile. He was staring at her expectantly.

"What?" she grumbled, padding over. His dark blue eyes followed her as she approached.

"I just thought you might want to share this crow with me," he meowed, pushing the body of the huge bird towards her.

"Oh," she mewed, caught off guard. Her gaze flicked up to his face, but it was expressionless. Only his eyes betrayed ay emotion, and Twilightpaw flinched away from the intensity of the dark stare. "Sure, I guess. Thanks."

"No problem," he meowed. They each took a few bites of the crow, until it was only bones. Windfoot buried the remains beneath the damp soil, and then stood and stretched slowly, his silver pelt glistening. Twilightpaw stayed crouched on the ground, her dark fur fluffed against the icy mist, which still hadn't evaporated in the sun.

"I know we just went hunting, but would you like to join the sunhigh patrol? They should be leaving any moment," Windfoot suggested.

"Yeah, I'll go," Twilightpaw mewed, getting to her feet and shaking to try to stay off the cold.

The two cats trotted to the camp entrance, and Twilightpaw couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious as Windfoot padded beside her, his pelt just brushing hers. It wasn't entirely uncommon for warriors to take apprentices as mates – they had to wait until they had their warrior names to have kits, but it wasn't unusual. Besides, Twilightpaw had been an apprentice for a long enough time for it to be acceptable, and Windfoot was still a young warrior. Still, it always made Twilightpaw a bit uneasy – she knew what was said behind her back, about the two of them still being loyal to ThunderClan, unable to let go of their birth Clan, so they stuck together. Being the deputy's "pet" had repercussions.

Twilightpaw and Windfoot didn't mind the remarks as much as another cat might – after all, neither had really been born in ThunderClan at all. Windfoot's father had been a loner from the mountains, and his mother had lived there too when he was a kit. Twilightpaw's mother, Wanderingpath, was a descendant of a Clan cat, but she had never belonged to a Clan herself. Sometimes, Twilightpaw felt terribly displaced – she had no true home, neither ThunderClan nor ShadowClan. But then she supposed Windfoot felt that way too – maybe that's what drew them together.

"Twilightpaw?" Windfoot mewed, waving his tail in front of her eyes. She blinked, returning to reality. Her mentor raised an eyebrow at her, and then turned to speak to another cat.

The rest of the sunhigh patrol eventually trickled out of their dens, until the group of six cats was assembled at the thorn tunnel. Windfoot was leading the patrol, but he ordered Whiteface to stand at the head so that he could hang back with his apprentice.

They set out, paws squelching in the muddy forest floor as they made their way to the RiverClan border, checking scents and looking around as they moved. Luckily, they found no scent of FangClan – their last encounter with the fake Clan sent a shiver down each cat's spine.

The patrol remarked the border with RiverClan, and then doubled back and padded along the lakeshore to the ThunderClan border. It seemed quiet, until suddenly Whiteface murmured, "I smell ThunderClan." All of the ShadowClan cats instantly unsheathed their claws, stalking forward with hackles raised. Despite the unusual mixing of their blood, the two Clans were hardly friendly.

Four ThunderClan cats emerged from the undergrowth a moment later – they two had smelled an enemy patrol, and come to investigate. Each group kept well inside their own boundaries, not willing to provoke a fight.

"Greetings, ShadowClan," meowed the leader of the ThunderClan patrol – Twilightpaw recognized Lionstar himself, looking a little worse for the wear. Scars littered his golden pelt, and his whiskers drooped a little bit.

"Lionstar," Windfoot greeted icily. Twilightpaw noted the hardening of his indigo gaze as he nodded to his former leader. "We're just marking our border."

"Marking it where it _should_ be, I hope," came a hiss from the ThunderClan side. Whiteface uttered a feral snarl and leaned forward on his toes, his eyes ablaze.

"Hush, Shadowclaw," Lionstar hissed. He turned and cuffed one of his warriors lightly. The tom growled, but said nothing more.

"Until the next Gathering, Lionstar," Windfoot mewed. His voice was so cold Twilightpaw half expected a puff of frosty air to billow from between his white fangs.

"Until then," the golden-pelted tom replied. He dipped his head to Windfoot and then turned tail and vanished into the brambles. Windfoot remained where he was for a moment, before Whiteface flicked his tail across the deputy's shoulder.

"Stupid, stuck-up ThunderClans. They think they're just the best at everything, don't they?" growled Hawktalon to Whiteface.

As cats trudged back through the pine forest to camp, Windfoot fell back to pad beside Twilightpaw. Trying to ignore her earlier misgivings, she pressed herself close to him, trying in vain to purr.

"I just always wonder," mewed the silver warrior dismally. "I don't think I go through a single day without thinking about it at least once."

"Thinking about what?" Twilightpaw asked.

"Whether or not ShadowClan is the right place for me."

Blinking, the black she-cat meowed, "But you're deputy here! You have everything a warrior could want…" she trailed off.

Windfoot glanced down at her, padding beside him, only as high as his shoulder. "Including you," he murmured, a small smile flitting across his face. "I wonder if I could even survive her without you."

Twilightpaw rolled her eyes. "Whatever makes you sleep at night," she growled playfully, and whisker her tail across his flank.

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**OKAY, WOW…I just realized that I made a huge mistake – cat names can't start with Shadow, Thunder, etc. because of the Clan names. Ravenfeather's brother, Shadowclaw…yeah, you get it. So his name is now officially Shadeclaw. Not too different, but still rather annoying. OH MY GOD AND WINDFOOT. CRAP. Dang it…uh, okay, tell if you care about this. I could change Windfoot's name to something just as good (I dunno, Stormfoot is okay, right?) but that would be HECKA confusing. Personally, I am annoyed at myself for doing that because I always try to keep my names really true to the books. But seriously, I don't want to have to change all of it, so PLEASE review and tell me if this bothers you, or if you think I should change it. And since it's not just Shadowclaw, he can keep his name. Never mind. Yeah, tell me what you think.**


	7. Broken Codes

**Sorry, as always, for the lat update. I've been on vacation for the past few days, so I haven't really had time to write. Hopefully this chapter will actually be getting somewhere. I realize that I haven't even though of where I'm going with this story…but don't worry, I've got ideas now. Here's Firefall.**

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_The moon shone as bright and pale as a blind eye against the pitch black of the night sky. No cheerful stars twinkled in the distance._

_Firefall padded slowly through the darkness, her green eyes glittering ominously. Her tail lashed with frustration at every pawstep. Above her, seeming to block out the entire sky, loomed a giant pine tree, bristling with shapeless needles. _

_For as long as she could remember, Firefall had been plodding along beneath the same tree, with no sign of life – not even a bird could be found flitting among the branches over her head. But despite how far she _must_ have come by now, the distance seemed no shorter, and her paws didn't even twinge._

_Suddenly, and all the more surprising due to the emptiness of her surroundings, Firefall's paw thudded against something hard and cold. She stopped, shocked, and glanced down to find a small, silver pebble, about the size of a kit's head. Curious, the red-pelted she-cat bent down to nose the stone. It was strangely smooth and reflective – if she caught herself at the right angle, she could see her face mirrored almost perfectly on the silvery surface._

_As she stared down at it, the stone became suddenly foggy, and Firefall's red face disappeared, only to be replaced a moment later with that of a silver tom. His pale blue eyes stared out with a friendly expression, though his whiskers drooped and there was something sad and desperate about the gauntness of his features. Though the reflection was motionless, Firefall could have sworn that the tom was somehow alive._

_The crack of a twig behind her made Firefall whirl around. Forgetting that she had once been alone in the shadows of the giant pine, Firefall immediately lifted her nose to the air. There wasn't a breath of wind, so no scents reached her, but somehow, it seemed to Firefall that she could _feel_ whoever was out there._

_"Hello?" she called, peering cautiously into the surrounding gloom. "Who's there? Show yourself!" _

_As if on cue, a dark shape materialized about three foxlengths from her – a black-pelted tom. He was staring at the ground, but as soon as he lifted his head, Firefall recognized him._

_"Darkfang?" she hissed in disbelief._

_"Redstorm?" mewed the tom. His voice sounded strangely small and afraid, unlike the usual cruel sneer that came out of his throat._

_"What in the name of StarClan are you doing here? I'm surprised our warrior ancestors even let you walk among their lands?"_

_"StarClan?" questioned Darkfang. He was closer now, loping forward on slender legs. The familiar grimace slipped onto his face, and Firefall felt a little more relaxed, if it was possible. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to have to deal with a troubled Darkfang. "The cats of StarClan have never set paws on these paths."_

_Firefall started. "What?" she growled. "We're not in StarClan?"_

_Darkfang glanced up at the pine tree, his ice-blue eyes glowing vibrantly. Slowly, he shook his head. "No. We are in between, for though the sky is that of the Place of No Stars, if you managed to reach the edge of this shadow, you would walk among StarClan."_

_Shivers swept down Firefall's spine. She had calmed herself with the thought that she was treading the same paths as her warrior ancestors. But now, as she looked up at the dark sky, barely visible between the pine branches, she suddenly felt very, very alone._

_Darkfang padded closer now, circling Firefall with a thoughtful expression on his face._

_"You though I was my father," Firefall commented offhandedly, following him with her eyes._

_"He often visits this place in his dreams," replied the black tom vaguely. Suddenly, he froze, his eyes focused on something at Firefall's paws. She looked down, remembering the silver pebble with the face of the blue-eyed tom. Warily, Firefall backed away from it as Darkfang crept closer. _

_"Don't touch it," she warned, but it was too late. Darkfang was bent over the pebble, and when he stood, Firefall saw that he had grasped it in his jaws._

_They stared at each for a moment, the flame-pelted she-cat and what might have been her evil twin. Then, like a gust of wind, Darkfangw as off, sprinting in the opposite direction, towards the unreachable edge of the shadow cast by the monstrous tree. In his mouth the pebble sparkled, casting a dancing light on the black tom's cheek._

_Firefall watched him run with mixture of sorrow and relief. She was just wondering what had happened to the silver reflection in the stone, when Darkfang suddenly came to halt. He was almost out of sight now, but she could still make out his shape in the distance, Curious, Firefall ran a little closer. When she looked harder, she realized that Darkfang had stopped because another cat had appeared. This one was larger, and she could just barely make out a pair of amber eyes._

_A moment later, realization dawned on her like a splash of ice cold water. Her heart thudded wildly, and suddenly her legs were jelly, her paws glued to the ground. _Tigerstar.

_Darkfang was backing away now, and the expression on his face, even from a distance, was obviously afraid. He still held the silver stone in his mouth, but it no longer shimmered._

_Firefall watched with rapt attention as Darkfang stumbled backwards and Tigerstar advanced, looming over the smaller tom. It was only when she could see his glittering white fangs that Firefall realized how close they had gotten. She tried to force her paws to move, but it was already too late. Tigerstar glanced up, and his infamous amber eyes met hers._

_Pain like white fire lanced through her, and Firefall bit back a cry, closing her eyes and turning her face away. A rumbling cough filled her ears, which Firefall realized was laughter._

_"Well, well, well," came a voice that chilled Firefall's very bones. "Where did you get that stunning pelt?" She felt a thud in the ground, and when she finally brought herself to look up, Tigerstar was striding towards her. Desperate, Firefall took a halting step backwards, but she knew that there was escape this legendary villain now._

_"Firefall, is it?" Tigerstar murmured, circling her, sizing her up. He grinned, exposing long white fangs. "What a fitting name."_

_ Then he turned to Darkfang, taking his piercing amber gaze off her, and Firefall found she could move again. But her legs were quite efficiently melted by shock and fear, and she very nearly collapsed where she stood._

_"Darkstar," meowed Tigerstar, padding back to where the black tom was crouched, the pebble clutched between his paws. "What did you plan to do with _Firefall_ here, when your puny group of rebels finally makes some progress?"_

_Darkfang's gaze flickered to Firefall, and then back to Tigerstar. "She's to be killed with the rest. Tigerstar."_

_The huge tabby nodded slowly, twisting his head to look over his shoulder at Firefall. "Killed with the rest." H grinned again. "Does that sound good?"_

_Firefall might have made a witty reply, but at that very moment there came a crashing sound, and all three cats whirled about to find two more shapes charging towards them out of the gloom. Darkfang immediately leaped to his feet, snatched up the pebble and ran, but Firefall stayed where she was._

_"Tigerstar!" one of the cats yowled. "Leave this place, and leave my daughter alone!" _

_Firefall's heart leaped with joy as she recognized Redstorm, in all his glory, running straight for the tabby warrior. Beside him, to her surprise, was Windfoot. They both seemed to be surrounded by some sort of aura – Redstorm gave off a warm red glow, and from Windfoot shined a clear, white light. The two toms didn't slow down as they approached, but merely ran past Firefall and leaped as one, straight for Tigerstar._

_Firefall would have given a season's fresh-kill for the look on Tigerstar's face. Faced with the two shining warriors, who seemed as if they had the very power of StarClan in their claws, he suddenly dropped all fierce pretenses, and turned tail to run, looking like a frightened kit faced with his angry mother._

_Redstorm and Windfoot stopped and let him go, knowing that they couldn't catch him if they decided to give chase._

_"Go on, Firefall," Redstorm murmured without looking at her. "Run away from here, and you'll soon wake up. Keep running though – who knows where Tigerstar's gone."_

_Firefall obeyed without hesitation and surged forward, enjoying the feeling of the air rippling down her pelt as she ran, faster than she ever could have in the waking world._

_And then as she was just beginning to lose her grasp on the dark world, she stumbled, tripping over something that was lying on the ground. Though she knew what it was before she looked, Firefall glanced down and saw the pebble. But to her horror, the silver tom's face was gone, and a jagged scratch marred the once smooth surface._

Firefall woke gasping for breath, her heart thudding, her paws aching. It took her a moment to take her in surroundings, but finally she managed to catch her breath and look around. With a groan, Firefall realized that she was alone in the den. After giving herself a quick bath, she hurried out into the sun-filled ThunderClan camp. Some warriors still hung about, but it looked as if the dawn patrol was long-gone, ad some hunting parties had already left.

"Firefall! Finally!" came a mew from the other side of the clearing. Firefall turned to find Owlflight padding quickly towards her. "We thought you were going to sleep 'til sun-high. But…I didn't want to wake you."

Fire smiled and gave a short purr, rubbing her muzzle against the golden-furred tom's cheek. "Thanks Owlflight."

"I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting? Stripethroat was just about to leave," Owlflight questioned, pointing with his tail at a group of warriors gathered around the camp entrance.

"I'm sorry," Firefall mewed quickly. "I can't – I have to talk to Mistystone."

Owlflight jumped as if something had bitten him, and stared at her. "Why?" he meowed instantly.

Firefall raised an eyebrow. "Nothing, really…is something wrong, Owlflight?"

The golden warrior stared at her for a moment, then shook himself and said, "No. Sorry, I think I slept funny. I'll be back soon. See you, Firefall." He flicked his tail over her ears and then padded away.

Shaking her head, Firefall hurried away to the medicine den. She hoped fervently that Mistystone was there, and when she reached the cool cave, she was doubly lucky. Mistystone was crouched in the entrance with her eyes closed, and Bloomfrost was nowhere to be seen.

"Mistystone? Can I talk to you?" Firefall asked quietly, approaching the silver-furred she-cat slowly. Mistystone jumped, and her eyes flashed open, darting around until they rested on Firefall.

"Hello, Firefall. What can I do for you?" she mewed, getting to her feet and stretching.

"Well…I just needed to talk to you about something."

A knowing look came into Mistystone's eyes, and she mewed, "I knew it."

Firefall frowned. "You did? I wasn't sure if you'd had the same dreams."

Now it was Mistystone's turn to be confused. She opened her mouth, her whiskers twitching, and then closed it again, sitting back on her haunches. "This is about a dream you had?" she mewed, as if reaffirming something.

"Well…" Firefall paused, glancing at Mistystone. "Is there something going on? Because Owlfight was acting a little weird too. Is there something I should know about?"

Mistystone hesitated, then meowed, "No, I suppose not."

"Okay then," mewed the red warrior, nodding shortly. "Good. Anyway, I needed to talk to you about a dream?"

Mistystone stared at her for a moment longer, and then blinked and nodded. "Yes, yes. Well, whatever happened to only medicine cats dreaming with StarClan?"

"This wasn't with StarClan," Firefall murmured under her breath, but Mistystone heard, and her eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" she meowed. "Oh, never mind. What was the dream?"

"I was in a place where there were no stars in the sky-" Mistystone's eyes bulged – "Not the Place of No Stars, but in between. Beneath a huge pine tree."

Recognition sparked in the medicine cat's eyes, but she said nothing.

"I was padding along, when suddenly I came across this silver pebble, and there was a reflection of a silver tom with blue eyes in it, and he seemed…sad, I guess. Then Darkfang appeared out of nowhere, and he picked up the stone, and then he ran away. Then Tigerstar came-"

At this, Mistystone gave a little choking cough and her pelt bristled, but still she said nothing. "Tigerstar came, and he was talking to Darkfang, and he called him Darkstar, an then he saw me, and he talked to me. Then Redstorm and Windfoot came and chased him away, and they were glowing, and then Redstorm told me to run, so I did, and I found the pebble again, but this time the cat's face was gone, and the pebble was scratched. Then I woke up." Firefall stopped and sucked in a huge breath, blinking.

Mistystone was frozen, her face a mask of shock. She was staring past Firefall at something the she-cat couldn't see. After a long moment, she suddenly shook herself, and her face returned to normal.

"I have also dreamt beneath the tree, though in my dreams it was an Oak. I had a very similar dream to yours, when I was younger. But I must ask you – was there a moon?"

Firefall frowned. "What? Why?"

"Please, Firefall. In the sky, there were no stars, but was there a moon?"

"Well…" Firefall thought for a moment, then replied, "Yes, there was. It was huge, and bright. Why?"

"It doesn't matter. You said the tom had blue eyes…interesting. The cat that I saw in the pebble, when I dreamt of it, had amber eyes at first, which then turned green, and then blue. I wondered sometimes if it was the even the same cat."

"Then we haven't always had the _same_ dreams," Firefall mewed thoughtfully. "I wonder why not."

"StarClan knows. What was it that you wanted to discuss about the dream?" Mistystone questioned.

"Well, I was thinking…the cat that I saw in the pebble, with blue eyes…I thought it might be Ghostface."

Mistystone blinked, and a small smile creepy across her face. "Then we came to the same conclusion."

Relieved, Firefall mewed, "Good. Why though?"

"Why Ghostface? I have my theories. When he became Darkfang's apprentice, Darkfang immediately 'recruited' him, for Tigerstar. They train together, and plot together. Who knows – if Darkfang hadn't been part of the picture, Ghostface might be a perfectly loyal ThunderClan warrior instead of a FangClan rogue."

"But I thought only Tigerstar's descendants could dream with him?" Firefall mewoed.

At this, Mistystone laughed quietly. "Ghostface is an interesting character. He has the blood of both Firestar and Tigerstar and his veins. Through Stripethroat, of course, Firestar, and through Leafstep, Tigerstar. Leafstep's mother was Cardinalbelly's sister – they're cousins."

"Weird," Firefall murmured. "The one other thing…well, the whole prophecy: _In the darkness there is fear _– we figured that out. Darkfang is afraid of Tigerstar – I definitely saw that. _And before the red dawn_ – well, we thought that might mean Redstorm. But I was just remembering something he told me a while ago, when we were talking about the dream. He said that he once saw Scarletspirit's death, like a vision, and that the red dawn was the red blood of traitors spilled over the hills…maybe Darkfang, or maybe the blood of Scarletspirit…" Firefall shuddered. "Anyway though, I was thinking: _when light my shine, all must be brave._ All must be brave is obvious, but the light shining part – we figured that was Windfoot, right? Well I'm pretty sure it is. Because when Redstorm and Windfoot came to chase Tigerstar away, Windfoot was shining with this really bright light."

Mistystone nodded sagely. "Yes, I believe you're right. I believe we've finally deciphered the entire prophecy."

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End file.
